Instructional Strategy: Didactic Media Presentation to Optimize Student Learning

Context: Subject matter is presented to athletic training students in the classroom using various modes of media. The specific type of mode and when to use it should be considered to maximize learning effectiveness. Other factors to consider in this process include a student's knowledge base and the complexity of material. Objective: To introduce instructional strategies within the didactic component of an undergraduate or graduate athletic training program that effectively address split-attention, redundancy, and modality effects, which in turn will minimize extraneous cognitive load and optimize working memory storage capacity. Background: With technological advances in education, a vast assortment of content in athletic training programs, and inconsistency in student learning styles, a variety of modes through which to present course material should be implemented for optimal learning. Traditional instructional strategies do not always respect the limited capacity of working memory and present information using media in a way that negatively affects learning. Description: An explanation is given in the use of various media sources to present information within the classroom and to examine the impact they have on extraneous cognitive load and, ultimately, learning. Specific instructional strategies will be introduced that target the classroom presentation of information with the goal of minimizing split-attention and redundancy effects and optimizing the modality effect. Clinical Advantage(s): To optimize athletic training student learning effectiveness through considerations in the various modes of media presentation with course subject matter within the classroom. Conclusion(s): The presentation of material in athletic training education using a multimodal approach is essential to student interest and learning. Space occupied in working memory can be minimized when classroom presentation of material takes into consideration the split-attention and redundancy effects. Strategies consistent with the modality effect help expand the capacity to withhold information in working memory.